ELEVEN:ELEVEN - Memoirs Part One CD-EP
A solid instrumental guitar-driven intro opens this album before a fuzz guitar blasts you face off and, with a scorching high-reg vocal cry of the title of the track, “Ladies And Gentlemen”, the band roar into life in a hail of solid, choppy drumming, thundering bass and scorching lead guitar riffs to provide this absolute sizzler of a slice of metal songwriting that's got emotion, intensity and power wrapped up in its wonderfully produced arrangement, so that, while it explodes into life, it's got a melodic vein running through the middle that ensures you're gonna be inexorably hooked to this song for a long time to come. It climbs ever upwards as the drumming crunches away, the riffs burn a hole in your heart and that storming vocal just flies in a mix of grace and strength – the effect is stunning. “Disguise Built On Lies” is just as powerful, if anything more direct, as a veritable eruption of indie-metal grabs you by the throat as the singer unleashes a song with more venom than a snakepit, accompanied by driving drumming, pounding bass and fuelled by more metal guitar riffs as the song dives and soars but ultimately takes its verse-as-chorus approach to great heights as the singer refuses to stop until it's all been said, even if the arrangement is now well into the red as the guitars explode and the rhythms threaten to take the walls out. Then it ends – in a brief few seconds of ringing guitar, string synth and voice sample – amazing! “Van Gogh's Last Words” is another indie-metal explosion and another great song superbly delivered by this vocalist who's really got the levels of passion, angst, intensity and emotion set on stun and glowing white hot. Extra vocal harmonies on the chorus add such a stunning extra dimension that turns it into the most memorable track on the CD so far as far as commercial goes, but all the while the guitar fury continues unabated – again, absolutely brilliant and one stunner of a song, so powerful yet so addictive. They end with “Lonely Ghost” and simply continue with what they do best, as a faster slice of their power rock-as-pop ensues, a song no less powerful or forcefully delivered as anything you've heard so far and every bit the showcase of this band's undoubted ability in practically every department they inhabit. This is red hot and highly recommended – seek it out and be blown clean away!!!